Well said, you left out he used Chinese exfiltration channels. All in all a very successful joint intelligence operation by the Russian & Chinese Intel services. (The enemy of my enemy is my friend for now!) Their “cover for action” was and still is brilliant, he did it for moral reasons - he’s a hero!.
Let’s compare the morality of these two examples to Snowden’s actions. Lt Col Anthony Larkin MD refused deployment to Afghanistan because he didn’t think Obama was Constitutionally the president. He didn’t run to the protection of a foreign power to voice his protest he faced the consequences of his actions. Second example Cynthia O Miller - CIA analyst who leaked to the NY Times that CIA had terrorist jailing centers overseas. She thought it was immoral and it went against her personal beliefs. CIA fired her and threatened her with prosecution. I don’t think they ever did. Notice she also didn’t run to a foreign power to voice her moral concerns, she faced the consequences. Where does Snowden stack up morally compared to those two?
The reasons some on this site and others prefer Snowden the hero is he fits their biases not because any objective moral standard. He gave away a lot more than they know or even Tucker Carson or Congressman Massie knows. The Snowden hero grift fits their biases too! (Massie’s never served on the House Intel committee, so his knowledge would not be “in depth”. Normally, I kind of like the guy, but he’s dead wrong here! Note he’s been dead wrong on a couple of other things too but particularly wrong here!) Chinese & Russian Intel services make you pay for your room and board. Now Snowden’s a Russian citizen and does interviews. The Intel operation is now a Influence Operation and it seems to be working. It’s brilliant simply brilliant!
I also should have used as a more recent example of taking a moral stand and facing the consequences. All the men & women in the armed forces who accepted termination even threats of court martial over taking the COVID vaccines. Did any of them run to a foreign power? I can’t think of any!
It’s hard to compare military members to DOD or NAF contractors. The rules are different. The jury sentenced Larkin to six months in a military prison, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and dismissal from the Army (the officer equivalent to a dishonorable discharge). And his efforts were not to stop the assignment but to try to get Obama identified as a non-citizen at the time of birth. He just went at it kind of cockeyed.
Snowden was a civilian contractor and didn’t fall under the UCMJ 85, 89, or 92 which fall into those courtmartial offenses. But he did sign a contract with Uncle Sugar as to the use of COMSEC and OPSEC which is enough to get him in over his head. He didn’t have to run. He chose to because of some stupid media stretching of the imagination and without taking the time to see the potential, which is almost nothing, he chose to give up his American citizenship for something that most of those in high places, and some not so high, already knew. As did our competitors throughout the world. Nothing is sacred on this rock.
Wy69